


The Summer Harvest Festival - A Beehaw 2020 Fic

by Cici_Sabre



Category: RWBY
Genre: Beehaw Week (RWBY), Bumbleby - Freeform, Circus, Cute, Eventual Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, F/F, Feel-good, Fluff, Fun fair, Horses, Real World References, Romantic Fluff, Self-indulgent but hey, Slice of Life I suppose, why not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:26:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26760598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cici_Sabre/pseuds/Cici_Sabre
Summary: A VERY late Beehaw 2020 sub, but here we go.When the Summer Harvest Festival rolls into town, Yang and Ruby head to Vale for the week to enjoy the events and revisit some cherished childhood memories and traditions. On the opening night, however, a chance encounter with a mysterious masked bandit makes Yang rethink her plans for the week...
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	1. Day 1 - The Country Girl & The Bandit

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Bit the bullet and decided to jump into RWBY fics! Hello!
> 
> I did start Beehaw on the week it was announced, but somehow this went from 7 short oneshots to a fairly sizeable fic - and time got away from me, too, I guess. Country fairs and agricultural shows would normally be on at this time of year and I'd be there, boots and all, but because of the dreaded COVID, everything got thrown into the air, so this is a little self-indulgent on my part.
> 
> However, I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Slice of Life AU - No Grimm, no semblances/magic, Faunus exist

"Ruby come on, we're gonna be late!"  
"Just a--oof! Just a minute!"  
Yang listened, wincing as she heard the clatter of small shampoo bottles and soaps scattering to the floor.  
"What are you even doing in there?! Sounds like you're wrestling the towel rack!"  
All she heard in reply was a strangled yell, effort and frustration in equal measure. She sighed. Closing her case and kicking it under the large double bed, she knocked on the door of the en-suite.

"You need a hand, or is this one of your "I'll do it myself" moments?" Yang called with a grin, waiting for Ruby to take the bait. Sure enough, the grumbling started, and she stifled a giggle as Ruby went off in a tirade in earnest. The sound of a struggling zipper accompanied the gripes.  
"Ugh, don't even try start with me today, Yang, I'm- almost--AHA! I've got it! Stand clear, the winning costume is here!"  
The door swept inwards, and Yang was met with the sight of her sister dressed in her oh-so-secret costume: a wolf suit, wearing an apron, a hair net and spectacles.  
It was Grandma Wolf.  
"Well?? Whaddya think? Ain't it great? It's gonna be so much fun!" she gushed, twirling around in a circle to give the full effect. In a blink, she pulled down the oversized jaw of the head and turned to Yang.  
"Well hello there deary, how kind of you to visit; I've been expecting youuuuu," she warbled, a quaver in her voice to mimic that of an elderly woman.

There was no hiding it; like a crack in a dam, the laughter burst through as Yang dissolved into hysterical cackles.  
"Oh Rubes, that's amazing!" Yang tried to say between breaths, laughing harder as Ruby dived head first into character, shuffling into the room, paws crossed and tail swinging behind her. She swept a large paw clumsily over the cabinet that stood between their beds for the night and tutted loudly as she examined the paw closely - well, as closely as the large head would allow.

"Why, just look at the dust in here, why it's utterly disgraceful!"  
"I thought this was grandma wolf, not Mary Poppins? Or should I say Hairy Moppins in this case?" Yang joked, pulling her shirt on over the tank she wore. She slipped the key card for the room into the front pocket of her jeans, where the corners of it poking her leg would constantly remind her it was still there. Last thing they needed was to return back in the early hours of the morning, all partied out and nowhere to sleep.

"Hey, no piling on grammy, just because she eats people doesn't mean she doesn't keep a clean house!" Ruby chided with a giggle, swiping a paw at Yang and missing.  
"Oh yeah, bet she's real good with cleaning blood stains out of carpets," Yang replied sarcastically, ducking to avoid another swipe. Collecting her essentials (money, scroll, keys) off the cabinet, she checked the time; it was already 8:30, and the party would be kicking off at 9. She turned and watched bemused as Ruby flopped the head of the wolf back and wiped her forehead. She was already feeling the heat.  
"Are you sure about that costume, Rubes? It's gonna be a sauna at the party, and you're gonna be sweating buckets."  
"Ah but that's the best thing about it; no one needs to know," Ruby winked conspiratorially. "Plus it means I don't have to worry about my hair or clothes tonight," she added sheepishly. It didn't go unnoticed; Ruby's voice jumped in pitch and speed when she noticed the flash of realization behind Yang's eyes.  
"And besides, you promised we'd go shopping tomorrow, so I can just get stuff then!"  
Yang stared at her incredulously.

"Are you telling me that you're hedging all your bets on finding outfits for this week, _during the week?_ "  
"...Maaaaaybe?"  
"Oh for crying out loud, _Ruby!"  
_ "Hey, at least I've _got_ a costume! You just look like you on a normal day, but with cleaner clothes!"

She gestured at Yang's attire for the night; the toes of her brown leather boots poked out from under her dark blue bootcut jeans, which were cinched with a leather belt, the gold buckle catching the light. The button-down plaid that she wore was half buttoned and half tucked in at the back, the rest of it escaping at the front. She had the sleeves rolled up, but already one was making the slow descent down her arm. To top it all off, a Stetson sat rather jauntily on her head; it struggled to accommodate the sheer volume of blonde hair that, despite her best efforts to side braid neatly, longed to be free and fall in cascades around her shoulders. The only hope she had at holding onto the hat for the night were the drawstrings that fell loosely under her chin.  
A hand flew up to her heart in mock hurt, gasping loudly.  
"Low blow, sis, yeesh!"  
"Doesn't mean it's not true," Ruby teased, squealing as Yang lunged forward. Tickling her mercilessly until they were both in a heap and laughing at each other, Yang sat down on the bed to take a breather. Ruby flumped down beside her, red-faced and sweating.  
"Cowgirls are a popular costume choice, y'know; it just so happens I'm a real one," Yang drawled, snickering as it drew a loud groan of exasperation from Ruby.  
"Well on the flipside, at least you can say your jeans are distressed because of actual work - authenticity, you know?" Ruby chuckled.  
"Heh, yeah - actual work, distresser of jeans and builder of muscle tissue - heavens forbid a girl actually gets strong from it," Yang deadpanned, standing up to straighten her clothes and checking herself in the mirror. A sigh escaped her as she tucked stray strands of hair back under the brim of the hat.

Ruby stood next to her, putting a hairy paw on her shoulder in reassurance.  
"Psshh, shit-for-brains Cardin is just jealous he can't bench as much as you, he only wishes he could be a 'buff lesbian'," Ruby snorted, the air-quotes super exaggerated by the claws. "Don't pay him any attention - it'll short out his last brain cell, and we need him to muck out the horse stalls," Ruby finished, tapping the side of her head with a winning smile that Yang couldn't resist returning.  
"Even though I can't take you seriously in that get up, you're absolutely right," Yang grinned, pulling her sister into a side hug. "Thanks, Ruby."  
"Anytime, sis. You ready to party?"  
"Hell yeah. Let's go."

* * *

"OOOhoohhhhh, Yang, LOOK!" Ruby squealed, her face pressed against the window in the backseat of the taxi.

"At what?" Yang said distractedly. She passed the fare into the waiting hand of the taxi driver as they pulled up, only to find Ruby had already exited the car, despite the bulkiness of her costume.  
" _EVERYTHING_!" She crowed gleefully, half skipping towards the gateway and turnstiles.  
"Hey, wait- thanks for the ride! Ruby!" Yang shot out of the back, slamming the door in her haste. She turned and waved apologetically as she ran, trying to keep her eye on the giant wolf head ahead of her. Her face broke into a grin despite herself; Ruby's excitement was infectious, and the memories of previous years flickering through her mind like a movie reel. She heard a shout; Ruby had turned around and was waving frantically, unbridled joy in her expression.  
"Yang, _come on!_ "  
"Alright, alright, keep your head on!!"

They had arrived at the fairgrounds, the beginning of the Summer Harvest Festival held at the end of the summer months, in the last week of July. It was a cacophony of lights, noise and smells; the flashing bulbs of the carnival rides and stalls blinked vibrant colours in every direction, lighting up the happy, cheerful faces of the visitors as they explored every avenue, every stall, every game like it was new all over again, even though the odds on the coconut shy might have been against them. The scents of buttered popcorn, cotton candy, hotdogs, crepes and all manner of foods and flavours mingled with aromas of tramped down grass, the dew-dampened earth becoming exposed by the evening's footfalls. By the end of the week, it would be mulched soil, potholed and rugged. A few weeks and the grass would return in strength, the Summer Harvest Fair but a memory in the minds of its revelers as the autumn began to take hold.

Grabbing their tickets and wristbands and pushing through the turnstiles, finally, the sisters had arrived. They turned to each other, smiles as wide as their faces would allow, before beating a track down the main thoroughfare, weaving in and out between people, looking at stalls and taking pictures on their scrolls with silly faces and sillier poses.  
"Ooohh look, there's those sweets that Dad likes, we better get some tomorrow to take home!"  
"Good idea! And we can bring some treats back for Zwei too!"  
"Hmmm, maybe we should find something a little easier for his stomach, he threw up everywhere the last time."  
"Good point; well, I'm sure we'll find something!"  
"We better keep moving; the party starts in a few minutes!"  
  
They kept moving up the grounds, headed in the direction of the humongous red and white patterned big top tent that sat at the end of the path. The hollers of vendors and the hubbub of the crowd mixed in with the sounds of jangly music that warbled over the dated speakers; it hadn't changed much since they were kids, and now that they were older and able to set off on their own, it was a bittersweet feeling to look upon it now. Years long since past would have seen the both of them holding their parents' hands as they took part in the merriment, safe and sound. Though it wasn't an event they would ever miss if they could help it, it wasn't lost on either of the pair that it had been a long time since Taiyang had attended the Summer Harvest Festival, much less talked about. Yang hadn't dared look back at the doorway as their father waved them off yesterday.

Lost in her thoughts, Yang felt a furry arm loop itself around hers, the snout of the wolf bumping against her head and curling the edge of her hat upwards. Ruby was looking up at her, her smile turned wistful; it seems they were both feeling the same sense of poignancy. The sudden watering of her eyes catching her off guard, Yang bopped the top of the wolf head downwards, and snorted a loud laugh amidst Ruby's protests; it broke the spell of sadness that had swept through their minds, at least for now.  
They joined the queue to enter the tent that the party was being held in. Even from where they were standing at the end of the line, thrumming bass traveled through the dirt and transmitted into the soles of everyone's feet, and when their wristbands were examined and they were finally admitted, passing beneath the flap of the tent, the sound was a heavy, steady thump that reverberated through their bodies.

A wide circular space, the tent soared high above their heads, rigging, lights and ladders in place for the performances that would happen here throughout the week. A mirror ball hung from the center, dots of light bouncing everywhere. A huge sprung dance floor occupied most of the area the tent had to offer. The space at the sides accommodated the bar on one side, a cluster of seats spread before it and on the other side, and the stage that sat elevated at the opposite end to the entrance. The band were still getting into place on stage; they were right on time. Bodies milled everywhere, some bopping in time to the music, others trying to shout over the sound in idle conversation. Ruby kept close by, wide shining eyes roving all over and examining costumes and outfits that they were contending against. Though Yang had taken a much more relaxed approach to the fancy dress, Ruby was going all out. It was the first year she'd been allowed to attend the party as an adult, so there was no holds barred. It was all she had talked about in the weeks leading up to the fair, and though her costume was admittedly very impressive, Yang thought to herself that she probably should have realised it sooner; with all of Ruby's attentions diverted into assembling Grandma Wolf, it made sense that she didn't spare much attention for the rest of the week. She rolled her eyes fondly, and her gaze followed to where Ruby was pointing excitedly to another elaborate costume, a large and unwieldly black bird that looked more like a gothic ostrich with bright yellow leggings. Yang mentioned this thought aloud to Ruby, which drew uproarious giggles from them both.

The dance music faded downward, and the hum of an electric guitar filled the air, followed by a quick riff that set everyone whooping with excitement. The band members took their places on stage, and the main singer, a tall blonde dude with his shirt undone, bounded up to the mic and took hold. A tail flitted behind him, wriggling with a frenzy that reflected his energy.

"Guys, gals and nonbinary pals, you are all welcome here tonight in the big top! We are the Stowaways! Are you ready to get your socks rocked off tonight?!" he shouted. The crowd cheered, the verve high and the atmosphere electric. "Alright, let's get this party jumping - y'all need a little kick, so we're gonna get started with some _CAFFEINE_!" The guitar thrummed to life, followed by a snappy snare that quickly set the pace and energy for the start of the night.  
"Ooohh I love this song!" Ruby shouted. The breakneck speed of the song had everyone on their toes, throwing shapes and shimmies as they were jamming on air guitars. Too soon the song was over, and the entire crowd roared in applause; Yang using her fingers to make a piercingly loud whistle, Ruby hollering incoherently.

"Thank you folks, you're too kind! We're gonna hit the set list hard tonight, but halfway through we'll take a beat to let our MC do the do on the competition, so all your amazing costumes can get a look over. And from what I can see, there's some tough competition out there tonight, let me tell ya!" The crowd never lost their enthusiasm in their response, and Yang had to admit, the front man had a knack for turning on the charm and keeping their attention. 

Her attention just then, however, had been diverted downward; a glimpse of a woman up nearer the stage, with long black hair that trailed behind, had caught her eye. The bass guitar drove vibrations through the dance floor as the band started playing again. Peering around the heads and shoulders of people, Yang could see the woman was wearing a little black mask and a cowboy hat tipped low, jamming to the bands' next song, and had turned around to say something to a girl with a long brown ponytail.  
 _She's pretty cute,_ Yang thought, as her curiosity got the better of her, continuing to watch. _Looks like a bandit or a highwaywoman. Wonder if she'll stick me up?  
_ An amused smirk tilted her lips at the idea.

She seemed to be enjoying herself, laughing at something as she bopped in time to the music, and Yang smiled absentmindedly as she watched - until she realised that the woman was looking straight back at her. She looked like she had trailed off mid-sentence; the brown ponytail bounced as her friend turned, confused, but quickly morphed into a smug grin that swiftly whipped around to poke fun at the now bashful-looking bandit. Blushing hotly at having been caught staring, Yang quickly tipped her hat and darted her eyes elsewhere, scratching the back of her neck sheepishly.

_Smooth, Yang, great job._

The crowd heaved as the song picked up tempo, and she lost her line of sight, and dashing whatever hopes she had of maybe going over there to say hi, if she didn't melt into the floor from mortification first. At that moment, a shrill screech went up from behind her.

"PENNY!!"  
"Ruby! And Yang, too!"  
Yang whirled around to see Ruby wrapped in a bone-crushing hug by... something Yang couldn't put a name to.  
"Uhh, what..." she started to say, before she, too, was embraced; two lobster-like claws clamped around her back, and the air was pushed from her lungs like a bellows as Penny's surprising strength caught her off guard.  
"It's so good to see you both!" Penny said brightly. She didn't seem to notice the wheeze that escaped Yang as she tried to inflate her lungs again.  
"You too! How've you been??" Ruby chimed, miraculously recovered; Yang had the suspicion that the wolf costume took much of the brunt of the weird scorpion-like outfit, now that she had a chance to step back and take a proper look.

They took selfies of themselves all together and chatted animatedly for a few minutes, but Yang was only half listening. Her eyes were sweeping the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious woman, but no avail. She was shaken out of her focus when she felt a tugging on her shirt.  
"Yang! They're taking people in to be judged for the competition, we're gonna go over there!" Ruby shouted, waving her hands and pointing towards the booth beside the stage.  
"Okay, best of luck! I'll be here! Text me if you need me!" Yang shouted back. She fired off a double thumbs up and grinned widely in encouragement.  
"Okaaaayyy!" Ruby waved, her voice trailing off as they shouldered through the crowd.

Yang's hand dropped subconsciously to her pocket, a slight dart of relief passing through her as the corner of the key card made contact with her fingers. _All good._  
Parched from the heat in the tent, she made her way to the bar set up at the side, maneuvering as best she could through all manner of costumes and outfits. She dreaded to think how hot Ruby must have felt. The sleeve of her shirt had started rolling down again; it wasn't a big deal, not really, but it was one of those things that would irk her to have to keep fixing. Rather than try keep pulling it up for the night, she shrugged off the shirt and tied it around her waist instead. It was plenty warm anyway, she figured, and besides, the hat would still make it pretty obvious. Bare shouldered and feeling much freer, she ignored the furtive glances that swept her way every now and then, and strode purposefully to the counter. It wasn't too busy, Yang noted with relief; no shouting past other people's ears.

"Soda with ice, whatever you've got, as long as it's cold."  
Leaning up against the counter, she swiped a napkin and dabbed at her forehead. Whatever little makeup she used hadn't already slid off with the heat, she'd be damned if she was going to smear it across her face. Scrunching it up in her hand, she tucked the napkin into her back pocket. The ice in the glass clinked as it was set down in front of her, accompanied by the glass soda bottle. Another song ended with applause and cheers, and the hubbub of the crowd took over for a brief reprieve; they were one song away from the halfway point.

"Yesssss, just what the doctor ordered," she sighed aloud to no one in particular, the fizz of the drink making the ice crackle, tiny fissures appearing. She took a swig of it, letting one of the ice cubes sit on her tongue for good measure.

"Doctor, huh? You're not dressed like any doctor I've ever seen."  
Yang glanced to her left, ready to put forth some witty comeback, only for it to be immediately forgotten; it was the woman with the long black hair she had been gawking at earlier. Up close, the eyes behind the mask glittered gold as the stray rays of light from the mirror ball caught the edges; they peered at Yang, curiosity and devilish amusement mingling into one devastating combination. Yang's own eyes widened in surprise, just as the ice cube threatened to slip back her throat.

_Oh no. Ohnonononono--_

It was all she could do to not hock it out. A hand flew up to her throat, wincing; there was nothing else for it. She swallowed the ice cube, and shuddered as it left a cold trail all the way down. When her eyes opened again, there was a degree of concern in the bandit woman's features.

_Say something you weirdo, don't just stand there-!_

"Maybe not, but I bet there's not a lot of doctors dressed like me either, so figure," Yang replied hoarsely, a faint smile attempting to cancel out the cringe she felt on the inside.

_WhatkindofstupidasslinewasthatYangcomeON--_

Bandit Woman snorted, the corner of her mouth quirking upwards. Now that Yang was facing her, she saw that completing the ensemble was a black sleek waistcoat, shirtless and plunging, that had a little chain looping from the pocket; a toy gun sat strapped to her hip, attached to the wide belt that looped her denim shorts, that were, all things considered, quite short. Yang swore she felt her brain try to reset itself, barely remembering to breathe as her focus zeroed in on every detail.  
"Well doc, I was wondering if you could help a girl out," she drawled, dropping her hip to lean in beside the counter beside her, elbow propped on the edge. Clarity finally decided to break through the haze, and Yang mirrored her pose, taking a much smaller sip this time, before setting the drink down.  
"That depends; you're not planning on sticking me up or holding me hostage, are you?" Yang nodded toward the toy gun, her hands coming up in mock surrender. A flash of teeth and a low chuckle thrilled through Yang more deeply than any music she had heard that night; she could listen to the sound of her voice for an age and never tire of it.

"I haven't decided yet," she replied coyly, tucking a dark strand of hair behind her ear, and though it was said in jest, Yang was certain that she'd have happily gone along, with or without restraint. Trying to keep her mind from wandering was proving difficult; it didn't help matters when the woman leaned in closer, the coolness of her hand resting on Yang's upper arm. Her lips ghosted against the shell of her ear.  
"See... I'm burning up, some kind of fever that just won't _break_."

The hairs at the back of Yang's neck prickled as the warmth of her breath pushed past them, a steady blush rising that she hoped, vainly, the coloured dark of the party would camouflage.  
 _You and me both,_ Yang thought. She was almost sorry when the Bandit Woman retreated from her personal space.  
"I see, I see - lucky for you, I've got the answer," Yang replied, throwing in a wink for good measure; it was rewarded with a grin. "But I can't treat a patient without a name."  
"A highwaywoman can't reveal her identity to just anyone, you know," she laughed, placing a hand on her hip that made the edge of her waistcoat ride up slightly.  
"You can trust me - I'm very discreet."  
"Hmmm, I'm sure. But for now..."

Yang glanced down to see her drink being lifted, and stared openly as the woman raised it to her lips, draining the glass. It hit the counter with a muffled clunk, the ice melted into smooth shards. A faint lipstick stain marked the edge.  
"I'll see you around... _doc_."

Slack jawed, Yang watched as Bandit Woman turned on her heeled boot and sauntered away. Shamelessly staring after her retreating form before she was lost to the shadows, once she was out of sight, Yang blew her cheeks out as she exhaled. She stayed silent and staring into space as her mind replayed what just happened. She looked back down at the emptied glass.

"I'm not even mad."

Turning back to the bar to order a new drink, she noticed a folded napkin beneath the glass. Her brows furrowed, she pulled it out and unfolded it. A stuttering thud in her chest rocked her ribcage, a huge stupid grin taking over her face when she looked down at the contents.

_636 23412 56709_

_-B- xx_

"Ohhh I'm definitely not mad."

There was a roar from the crowd; Yang's head whipped around, a jolt of shock running through her as she realized how much time had passed. A row of elaborately dressed costumes took to the stage, including Ruby's and Penny's; the MC was about to announce the winners of the competition. She fumbled for her scroll from her pocket, to see a series of texts that evolved into caps lock attacks, all from Ruby.

_We bhnd stg! U still near??  
Penny got thru!!!  
I GOT THRU TOO  
LMK WHR U R IN CROWD SO I CAN WAVE  
YANG  
YANG ANSR UR SCROL  
YANG WHR R U  
YAAAAAAAAAANNNGGG_

"Buuuuuut Ruby definitely is. I may be in big trouble. Yep."

Yang bolted into the crowd and pushed her way to the front, just in time to see Ruby's eyes zero in on her from behind the jaws of the wolf. She grinned and waved apologetically as Ruby's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Somehow her glare was scarier from behind the teeth, fake or not.  
  
"Here we go, folks! In third place: FARAH RUDD!"  
A round of applause went up; a laugh threatened to escape Yang as she realised it was the owner of the gothic ostrich outfit her and Ruby had seen earlier in the night.

"In second place: RUBY ROSE!"  
A screech of joy rang out from the stage as Grandma Wolf took an energised victory jump into the air, making everyone laugh as she collected her prize amidst the applause. Yang whooped and clapped loudly, making sure Ruby could hear her.  
"That's my sis!" she hollered, grinning widely as she saw Ruby turn and wave, beaming from ear to ear.

"And the winner is... PENNY POLENDINA!"  
The loudest applause was saved until last, and Penny all but bounced to the MC to collect her prize. Ruby was clapping fiercely, almost more excited for her win than her own.  
"That's it for this year, friends, hope you enjoyed, and that we see you again for next year! I can't wait to see what y'all come up with next! On with the show!"  
Everyone filed off the stage, and Yang made her way to the steps, waiting impatiently for Ruby to come down.  
"Oh I'm SO PROUD of my little sister!" she exclaimed, wrapping her in a tight hug.  
"Yang- can't- breathe- aghhh!" Ruby flailed her arms weakly at Yang's head, knocking the hat off backwards, until she finally relented.  
"Oh don't be so dramatic, if you can run around in your sauna suit all night, I'm sure a little snuggle isn't gonna make much difference! Oh, congrats to you too, Penny!"

Penny descended the steps, smiling broadly and holding the envelope in her hands like a precious gem.  
"Thank you very much! My father will be delighted to hear about this," she beamed, giggling as Ruby weaved an arm in under hers to march them around in a tiny victory dance.

The Stowaways had resumed their places on stage, continuing their set list with zest, as promised. Yang motioned for them to follow her, skirting around the edges of the tent and away from the heaving masses.

"Let's go get some air, and we can see what you got!"

* * *

Stepping beyond the confines of the tarpaulin tent, the air was much cooler; the sun had long since set, and the night sky had rolled in, no clouds in tow, revealing a vast network of glittering stars overhead.

"Ughhh, so good to be out of the heat!" Ruby exclaimed, all tousled hair and sweaty clothes. She undid the zip of the costume to halfway, somehow wrangling it from the inside out. Yang realised that it was all one piece; there was a large hole in the back for the wearer to step into, the head a heavy lolling thing once there was nothing to hold it up. Penny was extricating herself from her outfit, disassembling it piece by piece until she had nothing but the torso still on over her clothing. The body of the torso was long, however, and her range of movement was limited.

"How the hell did you get into that thing on your own?" Yang marveled.  
Ruby tapped the side of her nose conspiratorially.  
"I have my secrets," she smiled mysteriously, dumping Grandma Wolf's head snout first onto the dirt as she billowed her tee shirt shirt at the collar to circulate air.  
"Speaking of secrets, where did you disappear to, hmm?"  
"I went to the bar to get a drink," Yang replied breezily, noticing the all-too-casual air of the question.  
"For you, or someone else?" Ruby slyly added, smirking when the colour rose to the tops of Yang's ears. Penny wobbled over before she could respond, waving the opened letter with excitement.  
"It's a gift card for any of the stores in town! And look! It's got 500 lien loaded on it!"  
"Oh wow, they really upped the ante this year!"  
Yang felt silent relief at the change in topic. Ruby ripped through the envelope to find her own card, loaded with 250 lien; still a considerable amount.

"Heh, you can buy yourself some clothes with this," Yang laughed, prodding her in the side. Ruby squirmed, unable to dart out of the way, what with the hollow body of fur flopped out in front of her. A sudden yawn erupted from her mouth.  
"Speaking of which, reckon it might be a good idea to call it a night here, if we're gonna have any energy for tomorrow," Yang said, checking the time. The hours had slipped by to just minutes before midnight.  
"Me too; it's been very exciting but I'm ready to get back to my father," Penny agreed, sending a text from her scroll and gathering up the suit in her arms.  
"Yeahhh, I really don't wanna get back in this thing," Ruby said wanly, slumped forward.  
"I'm glad we only have to wear it one night! It would be very inconvenient the rest of the festival," Penny commented.

Ruby's face brightened almost immediately.  
"We should organise to meet during the week! Let me get my scroll, I got a new number!"  
"I'm gonna call us a taxi; pretty sure you don't wanna be walking back to the hotel in those," Yang chuckled, turning away from the two as they chatted and swapped details. She slipped the napkin with the number on it discreetly from her pocket, punching in the number and saving it as B, before she stalled.

What would she even say? Where to begin? Now that she had the opportunity to talk, she came up short. She looked at the napkin again.

_B..._

**Yang:** _So, 'B', huh?_

Short, simple, to the point. She swapped over to the taxi app to hail one to her location; almost immediately, her scroll buzzed, and she grinned, a laugh threatening to betray her as she read her response.

**B:** _At last.  
_ **B:** _I was beginning to think you hadn't seen it.  
_ **Yang:** _Is it short for "ballsy" for stealing my drink?  
_ **B:** _LOL  
_ **B:** _Sorry  
_ **B:** _Got thirsty :P_

Her eyebrows raised in surprise. Someone's feisty, she thought, a grin plastered across her face.

**Yang:** _hah, forgiven - if you tell me your name.  
_ **B:** _You've got the first letter. Your turn.  
_ **Yang:** _we really doing this? Y.  
_ **B:** _Because it's fun.  
_ **Yang:** _LOL, no, as in, the first letter is 'Y'  
_ **B:** _Ohhhhhh whoops. now I get it.  
_ **B:** _guess it's better than having you down as "doc" in my phone.  
_ **Yang:** _LOL, definitely better; I'm no doctor.  
_ **B:** _Kind of guessed!  
_ **Yang:** _Soooooo do I get the next letter, or...?_

There was a delay in response; a small spark of anxiety hit her. Was she being pushy? The taxi arrived faster than she expected; she and Ruby waved their goodbyes to Penny, her ride home just arriving moments after they pulled away. She had almost stashed her scroll away in her pocket when she felt it vibrate again.

**B:** _Tell you what.  
_ **B:** _If you still don't know by tomorrow night, I'll tell you then. Deal?  
_ **Yang:** _Why, what's tomorrow?  
_ **B:** _Come to the big top at 7pm tomorrow and find out._

Yang frowned, trying to remember what was on the festival schedule for the week. They had been so hellbent on getting everything organised to come here, the only thing they knew for sure was the costume competition and the opening ceremony; after that, she couldn't remember. The taxi was quiet, Ruby playing a game on her scroll, the wolf head resting on her lap.

"Hey Ruby?"  
"Hmmm?" Ruby responded distractedly. Her tongue was sticking out in concentration.  
"D'you know what's on in the fairgrounds tomorrow?"  
"Uhhhh... I don't know, I don't have the brochure with me," she replied, frowning at the screen.  
"Apparently there's a show on at 7pm tomorrow night, wanna go?"  
"Sure! Shopping comes first, though."  
"Okay, okay; deal."  
"Yesssss."  
"Then we go find a gift for Dad."  
"Dammit."  
"We'll get lunch in Stacks in the square though."  
"Yessssss!!"  
"And then we'll go get you sized for a dunce cap and dungarees."  
"Uh-huh."  
"Ruby?"  
"Hmm?"  
"Are you talking to me or the game?"  
"You, of course!"  
"What did I just say?"  
"Uhh... something about a gift for Dad and cheese?"  
  
Yang rolled her eyes. Clicking open her scroll again, she typed in a reply to the last message.

**Yang:** _You're on._

The cursor flashed on and off as her thumb hovered over the 'send' button. The urge to be cheeky needled at her, but she hesitated. She sighed softly, looking out the window, as if something would suddenly appear and give her a sign. The amber glow of the city streetlamps flashed by as they drove through the streets of Vale; a street sign for a Cash for Gold store caught her eye; all she could see when she closed her eyes were the twin bands of gold that bordered the pupils of the bandit woman that had utterly bowled her over.

If she didn't know any better, the universe was screaming signals at her. A snap decision made her backspace quickly, tapping the screen and pressing send before she had a chance to chicken out.

**Yang:** _You're on, bb ;)_

Snapping the scroll shut, her knee bounced as she waited impatiently. It had only been a few minutes since she had sent the message, but it felt like an age. She jumped when the vibration shook her from a daze; looking furtively over at Ruby to make sure she hadn't noticed, she clicked open the scroll again.

**B:** _Good. See you then.  
_ **B:** _Oh, and for the record...  
_ **B:** _B is the start of my surname too.  
_ **B:** _;)_

The thrill of the replies stayed with her, even as she and Ruby changed into pyjamas and shuffled to the bed, and though the tiredness of travelling and the events of the day were catching up to her fast, there was a smile on Yang's face even as she faded off to sleep.


	2. Day Two - Horse

"Ruby. You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh but Yaaaaanngg! You don't understand! _I neeeeed iiiiiit!_ "

Laden with shopping bags from the day's efforts, it was just gone 1pm, and it was sweltering. The sun was beating down on the concrete pavement, and though the both of them were in shorts and tees, the heat was taking its toll on them both.  
"We've already been in here! Twice! What did you see that you didn't see the first two times?" Yang protested, even as Ruby walked backward towards the entrance; she suddenly noticed that Ruby, despite having spent the most out of them both, was not as heavily laden as she was.  
"And why am I carrying all of your bags??"  
"You know that trick where you feel like buying something but you don't immediately get it because you don't need it, you only just want it, so then you wait a while and see if you still want it as bad the first time?" Ruby babbled, ignoring the last question entirely.  
"...No, but go on?"  
"Well I want the strappy leather black bag just as bad now as I did during the first two times," Ruby grinned before darting towards the door.  
"Ruby I'm pretty sure you're supposed to let a longer amount of time pass before-- Uhh, she's not even listening," Yang muttered, as she entered the store for the third time.

* * *

Yang finally called time on their shopping spree when Ruby's face was glued to the glass of an antiques store; having spotted a monstrosity of a sword displayed in the window, Yang was pulling her away despite her protests. She finally gave in when there was a worrying tear of a bag somewhere in the cluster of handles, that looped around their wrists down to the straining hooks of their curled fingers. Flinging everything into the boot of a taxi, they dumped everything back at the hotel room before returning to round two of the blistering afternoon sun. Yang dipped her shades down, squinting as she watched Ruby descend the stairs. Somehow, she still had the energy to bounce the last few steps and out the door.

"Think we got you enough clothes?" Yang commented with just a touch of sarcasm, watching as Ruby rubbed at her wrists. Both had markings on their skin, the taxi trip being of little reprieve; they had to make a couple of trips up and down to get everything.  
"I kinda don't want to see the inside of a clothes store again for at least 6 months..."  
"Only 6 months? Rubes we got you enough clothes to last the year, I think you're safe."

Just as Ruby was about to respond, a loud gurgle of Yang's stomach surprised them both; it had been a long time since breakfast.

"Lunch at the Stack?"  
"Oh my gods, _yes._ "

* * *

"For someone who does everything else so fast, you eat so slow," Yang commented, as she swept up the last of her pancake and scoffed it down. She leaned back from the table and sank into the padded seating of the diner booth, blowing air out of her cheeks as her food settled.  
"I like to savour my food, okay? Just because you inhale yours doesn't mean everyone else has to," Ruby replied smoothly while twiddling her fork, not looking up from the brochure of events. They were in every store around town; it made sense that there would be one on each table in the diner, too.  
"That's not what the last two packets of cookies said," Yang chuckled, which made Ruby glance up with narrow eyes and a stuck out tongue.  
"Cookies are different, if you don't eat 'em fast, someone else will. Like you, or Dad, or Zwei."  
"Excuse you, I don't eat that many cookies. Dad though..."  
"Exactly. Anyway, about that show you were talking about last night; you said it was on at 7, right?"  
"Yup; I don't know what it is, though," Yang replied, checking the time. The clock on the wall was swinging steadily around for 4pm; there was still plenty of time. Her attention swiveled back around to see Ruby's eyes expand comically as she read the 7pm listing.

"Oh my gosh, YANG, LOOK AT THIS! THERE'S GONNA BE A CIRCUS!"  
"Oh really? Huh, that sounds kind of lame," Yang feigned boredly, pretending to stifle a yawn, and playing with the straw in her glass. Round eyes of wonder flashed with indignation.  
"Yang, how can you not be excited for this?? Look at all they've got lined up!"  
Ruby thrust the brochure under her nose, using both hands to steady it for her to read.

**_  
Circus Calavera_ **

_Join us in the big top for an unforgettable night of amazing acrobatics, daring endeavours and unbelievable exploits! Performing throughout the Summer Harvest on the selected days listed below!_

Her eyes scanned downward, looking at the rave reviews, littered with stars and hyperbole.

_"An unstoppable tour de force - magnificent!" ***** - The Vale Mail_

_"Heart-stopping in the best way! Unmissable!" ***** - Beacon Times_

Magic tricks, clowns, trapeze artists, acrobats... Horse acrobatics?  
Intrigue struck her. Sure, she could ride a horse and roundup cattle as well as any salty old rancher, but doing tricks and jumping around on the back of a saddle was another thing entirely. Trust was key when it came to riding well; getting an animal used to you sitting on it was one thing, but this? Of everything on the list, this was probably the one thing of them all she'd want to see most. On the inside, at least. Right now, however...

"Once you've been to one circus, you've been to them all," Yang waved dismissively, watching Ruby bristle fiercely with barely disguised mirth. "Besides, if I wanted to go see horses I would've stayed at home. But..."  
"Buuuut?"  
"See... thing is, I got an invite last night; this girl, she came over to talk to me at the bar-"  
"OOHHHH A GIRL!! What's she like, do I know her, what's her name-" The questions came out in a rush, not unlike air from a balloon, with the same shrillness.

"Ruby, pipe down!" Yang hushed her, ignoring the stares from other tables, drawn to the noise.  
"You definitely don't know her; neither did I, not before last night. I don't even know her name," she sighed heavily, propping her chin on her elbows.  
"You're kinda cut up about this, considering it's someone you've barely talked to," Ruby commented, her head tilting to the side as she examined Yang with a critical eye. She rolled her eyes when she got a grunt in response.  
"But hey, we did come here to enjoy ourselves, after all - and what better way to spend the week-long passes we got, by taking advantage of the week-long activities?" Ruby continued, waggling her eyebrows as she waved the banded wrist in front of her; the other hand was destroying her pancakes with the edge of her fork while her knife hand was occupied.  
"I guess you're right," Yang admitted, overly dramatising the reluctance in her voice. She smirked as a too-large forkful of pancake plopped back onto Ruby's plate, spattering syrup. Ruby merely shrugged and loaded it back up again before shoveling it into her mouth.  
"You know I'm right; we didn't pay good lien to sit around and mope into our lunch just because a pretty girl gave you the run around," Ruby replied, working the words around heavily syrup-coated pancakes.  
"She did not," Yang huffed, crossing her arms and diverting her attention out the window.  
"Uh-huh, because _that's_ why you don't know her name," Ruby replied smugly, pushing the last pieces around the plate to soak up the syrup. She scoffed as Yang flicked a piece of leftover food at her.  
"She invited you to the show, right? Then why not go anyway? If we meet her, great, if not, hey, we got to see a cool show! What have we got to lose?" Ruby finished, snarfing the last morsel as she did.  
"Hard to argue with that," Yang conceded, a shrug lifting her shoulders. She took her scroll out of her pocket. "Guess I better message her and make sure-"

A flicker of movement caught her eye, and suddenly everything was a blur as Ruby lunged across the table and caught her by the shoulders, shaking her while squealing loudly.  
"WAIT A SEC, SHE GAVE YOU HER NUMBER?! YANG! WE'RE GOING! DON'T BE STUPID!"  
"Ruby you're gonna get us thrown out-!" Yang stuttered between shakes, before they heard a stern voice interrupt them both.  
"Is everything alright over there?" a waitress called out from the counter, her tone pointed as she regarded them, clearly unimpressed with the commotion.  
"Please tell my sis that she'd be stupid to miss the circus show tonight!" Ruby called back indignantly, still holding on the fabric of Yang's shirt.

The waitress' expression brightened almost immediately.  
"Oh my goodness, you canNOT miss the Circus Calavera! They were here last year too, oh my gosh, they're so good! And that woman riding the horse, she's just AMAZING, you've GOT to go!" She gushed, her annoyance at the disturbance all but forgotten.  
"She changed her tune pretty quick," Yang muttered, her focus brought abruptly back to Ruby's wide eyes inches from hers.  
"Focus. We, as in you and me," she said, her index finger jabbing her in the chest, "are going to the show, tonight, okay?" The determination in her face turned to confusion as she saw Yang's face crack into a huge smile.

"Ruby you didn't really need to convince me, I was always gonna go," Yang laughed loudly. She laughed all the harder as Ruby gave a cry of disgust and punched her weakly in the arm. They stood up from the table to pay up and leave, Ruby still fuming behind Yang as they walked out the door.  
"Jerk," Ruby muttered under her breath, before being swept into a tight side hug.  
"Hey c'mon, big sister privileges; gotta cash in on them every once in a while, you know?" Yang chuckled, seemingly oblivious to Ruby struggling to extricate herself as they walked.  
"You've already exceeded your quota for today," Ruby grunted, finally breaking free.

"Consider it payback for all the shops you made us triple-visit today! I thought my hands were gonna fall off before we reached the room!"  
She shook her hands out, massaging her wrists, as if the memory of it alone made them ache. Ruby quickened her pace and walked ahead of her, her entire posture rigid in outrage. Yang sighed; she didn't really want to cause an argument now, not while they were supposed to be taking some well earned time off and relaxing.

_Time to play peacekeeper,_ she sighed inwardly, jogging to catch up.

"I'll tell you what; how about I extend those privileges even further, by buying some ice cream before the show? My treat?" Yang coaxed. There was a softening in Ruby's shoulders and Yang knew she had her attention.  
"Keep talking," Ruby said, her head turning slightly.  
"Double scoop."  
"Triple."  
"Ruby-"  
"Triple or the deal is off."  
"Ugh, fine."  
"With sprinkles."

A long suffering sigh escaped Yang as she agreed to the terms.

"On this occasion, and this occasion only."  
 _"Yesssssss!"_

* * *

The big top tent had been transformed. Gone was the dance floor; in its stead, a large circular arena had been constructed, surrounded by rings of elevated seating that rose up in tiers, allowing everyone a good view. Overhead, the assemblage of ropes and poles had been rearranged, made ready by the staff for tonight's performance. Bright spot lights shone down, aimed at the center. They illuminated the sizeable ring that would serve to host the collection of performers, soon due to astonish and amaze their audience.

"I'm so excited!" Ruby's eyes were glittering as they stepped forward, showing her wristband to the attendant. She waved them both past with a smile, and they stepped down the gangplank towards the seats. Both Yang and Ruby stared around them in wonder, their memories of the tent from last night clashing with what now stood before them. Unable to help herself, Yang's eyes drifted over to where the bar was, her face tinging slightly pinker as she recalled her conversation with the woman. She shook out of her thoughts and took out her scroll, opening her messages.

_**Yang:** I'm here; looks pretty crowded, where you be?  
 **BB:** I'm already inside. Take a seat in the front row, it'll be easier for me to see you.  
 **Yang:** Not unless I see you first? :P  
 **BB:** Oh don't worry; you'll definitely see me first ;)_

Even with the undeniable jolt of excitement that thrummed through her at the message, her eyebrows furrowed. Ruby's comment from earlier had planted a seed of doubt in her mind. Maybe Ruby was right, maybe this woman was giving her the runaround? But at least she was here, right? Yang had shown up, despite how cryptic her words were, and apparently she had too.

She hoped.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats; the show is due to start in just 5 minutes."

The voice boomed over the speakers overhead, drowning out the hubbub of the crowd for a moment. Ruby scooted in between people like an eel, somehow slipping by in spots that magically closed over again with the moving crowd. Yang, on the other hand, felt more and more aggrieved the further in she moved, bumping off shoulders and getting jostled in return.  
"Excuse me, sorry, coming through, whoops, my bad-"  
"Yang, over here! Front row!"  
Squeezing through to the seat aisle, she manoeuvred past a couple that were already fist-deep into their popcorn, and finally flopped down into the seat next to Ruby.

"Looks like that waitress wasn't kidding, there's a huge crowd here tonight," Yang observed, studying the masses. Plenty of people were still milling around, grabbing last minute snacks or changing their spots for what they thought would be a better view. Pantalooned staff were making their way around the seats, appealing to the children with inflatable toys, bubble makers, light up wands and plastic swords, trying to wring the last of their parents' cash for the night.

"Any sign of your mystery woman?" Ruby said, peering around and shielding her eyes to see better. Even though the front row was still several paces away from the border of the ring, the halo of light over the ring obscured their view of the crowd on the other side.  
"Nothing yet; I messaged her to say I was here, but she said she was already inside, and that I'll see her first..." Yang trailed off. Now that she said it out loud, it was a strange statement to make. Ruby's face mirrored her feelings in that moment, here brows furrowed in confusion.  
"Weird. She say anything else?"  
"No, that was it."

Yang watched on as Ruby's face fell into concentrated thought, trying to piece together what little information they had. Her eyes drifted over to the large red curtain, hiding all of the performers and their equipment, and she wondered what would be first to burst through it.  
"Wait a sec..." Yang muttered under her breath, her eyes zeroing in on a gap in the curtains, only for it to swish swiftly shut. She could have sworn she saw someone staring...  
A gasp and a hand gripping her arm startled her, and she tore her gaze away to see Ruby urgently trying to get her attention.  
"Yang! What if she's in-"

"LADIESSSSS AND GENTLEMEN!!" A woman's voice boomed over the speakers, the rest of Ruby's sentence drowned out, as they both jumped in surprise.

The lights dropped, and a drum roll reverberated through the stands. The crowd gave a little cheer of excitement. A single spotlight popped on at the centre where the ringmaster, the woman on the mic, walked into the light. The top hat cast sharp shadows downwards onto the ornate red double breasted jacket that she wore, gold buttons glinting brightly as she moved. A glittering cane twirled easily between her fingers as she addressed the audience.

"Welcome, welcome, one and all to our premiere, our first night!" The hat came off with a flourish and a bow, and Yang's jaw dropped in surprise.

_It's that girl with the ponytail from last night._  
  
Her mind started racing a mile a minute. If she was here, then...  
She suddenly realised what Ruby was trying to say.  
What if she's **in** the show?

"My name is Ilia and I will be your ringmaster this evening! We have an amazing show lined up for you, full of daring and danger, bravery and boldness, showstopping stunts and death-defying deeds! So without further ado, welcome..."  
She raised both her arms in the air, cane in one hand, hat in the other.  
"...To the one, the only, Circus Calavera!"

A huge cheer broke out from the crowd, the logo of the circus lighting up in a cacophony of colours, spotlights swirling around the crowd and the ring; uptempo music began to play as a troupe of six acrobats suddenly cartwheeled and flipped into view, taking formation around the ring. Skin-tight costumes and elaborate masks were donned by them all, each taking a different colour. Ilia quickly took her leave as their routine started; a dizzying set of flips, tumbles, pileups and pyramids followed, each set more complex and more dangerous than the last. Several members of the team were thrown into the air, the lights glittering off their costumes as they spun in midair, finishing their set as they landed in the arms of the team below.

"Incredible moves by our amazing acrobats!" Ilia exclaimed over the resounding applause they received as they bowed.  
"However! I think we can make this a little more interesting, folks..."

A selection of the overhead rigs suddenly descended; two trapeze bars lowered to ground level, quickly occupied by the blue and yellow members, before they were lifted back up to the ceiling. A safety net was constructed quickly beneath them, the rest of the team disappearing into the darkness. The acrobats started rocking slowly backwards and forwards, gaining momentum.

Yang felt a hand grip hers tightly; she glanced over at Ruby, who was close to biting the nails down to the quick on her other hand as she zeroed in on the action above. Yang looked up just in time to see both trapeze artists hang from the bars, the blue suited performer by the backs of his knees. The yellow one dropped down to swing with his hands, gaining more momentum. Despite the net below, the tension was thick; it was still a long way to fall.  
"The ultimate test of trust! Can they make it??"

A collection of gasps resounded when the yellow performer dismounted into the air in a back flip. Time seemed to slow for that instant; the space between the two seemed insurmountable, too far to reach. Yang was on the edge of her seat, utterly transfixed.  
"YESSS!!"  
A triumphant roar erupted from the crowd as the trapeze artists' arms clasped together tightly, swinging back and forth together.  
"Yang, look!! They're all on the scaffolds!"  
Sure enough, the rest of the team had scaled the heights, and together, performed one of the most intricate series of trapeze acts either of them had ever seen.  
"Show your appreciation for our wonderful team of aerial acrobats!"

The evening wore on, each spectacle more stellar than the last; Ilia herself was a part of the show, wielding whips in each hand; she cracked them around her in elaborate twists and turns, sharpshooting several objects in rapid fire motion and even exploding flowers into petals in midair (much to Ruby's amazement). Her finale saw an assistant setting a separate set of whips on fire, whirling them in shapes and patterns that gave the whips the appearance of fiery dragons flying around the dimmed ring. A magician pulled a selection of extraordinary stunts, everything from the classic cutting his assistant in half, to the more unconventional sword swallowing - while the sword was still on fire. Clowns came out in the interim, pulling pranks and causing general mayhem among the audience members.

The second last act had everyone enchanted, cooling the energy down from the intense first half. Low lighting, whimsical music and dry ice created a dusky atmosphere, as a tall, scarlet-haired woman descended from the ceiling, suspended in aerial silks. Graceful movements and mesmerizing twists belied the amazing strength and control the aerialist had, especially when it came to the heart-stopping drops she made, held only in place by the silks wrapped around her body.  
"Please give it up for Pyrrha Nikos and that _stunning_ display of aerial silks!!"  
The applause was rapturous; Pyrrha seemed to look bashful of the praise in the light, smiling shyly and bowing with poise before retreating behind the curtains.

"Now folks, I would ask that you please bear with us for a few moments while we prepare the ring for our final performance of the night. It's sure to get your heartbeats _thundering_ ," Ilia added with a wink.

Even though the circus had been far and away the best one she had ever seen, Yang sat forward with interest now. _This_ was the part she was most looking forward to on the brochure.   
"Uh oh, I know that look," Ruby said warily.  
"You know nothing," Yang replied airily.  
"Yeah, well, don't come running to me if Dad catches you - he'll blow a gasket if he finds out you're jumping around on the back of Bumblebee."  
"There'll be no gaskets blown, because there won't be any jumping around," Yang laughed, slightly unnerved that Ruby had sussed her out so quickly.

Ruby wasn't convinced.

"Bee probably wouldn't like it either. What if she spooks?"  
"Don't be ridiculous, that horse could be less bothered if I fell asleep on her back in the middle of a roundup. And besides, you've seen me jump up onto her saddle from behind before, all it took was a few apples and some of those nice oats she likes."  
"You mean the premium oats we got that are twice the price of the standard stuff?"  
"Them's the ones!"

Ruby chuckled to herself, shaking her head.

"And here I thought we had a rat problem; turns out we had a Yang problem instead," Ruby joked, poking her in the side; it earned her a yelp before Yang returned fire, rapidly poking until they both ended up slapping each others hands away - at least, until they were shushed from somewhere behind them.

There was movement in the ring; assistants had cleared the silks from the ring, and it was bare; the curtains had been drawn back to reveal a long corridor that faded into darkness. The ring dimmed once more, and there was silence.  
  


* * *

{A/N: Play Touhou's "Bad Apple" - Orchestral Arrangement - Cloudjumper cover for extra effect!}

* * *

  
Music started to play, the pounding of drumbeats pulsing through the air. Faintly hearing Ruby's squeal of excitement, Yang could feel the thundering of the drums thrum through her ribs, the bass running through the seats and through their bodies. A clatter of horse hooves sounded in the distance, growing louder as it sped towards them, matching the tempo the music, the spotlights weaving circular patterns across the floor, heightening the drama.

Suddenly a light appeared at the far end of the tunnel, sounds of brazen brass melodies kicking in with the drums. The light silhouetted a horse and rider that was growing larger by the second as it approached. Everyone waited on tenterhooks, a furor escalating in ripples.

Emerging into the light amid the heavenly sounds of harmonizing voices in a triumphant leap, an elegant black horse sprang forth. It was adorned with glittering bridle and reins, and upon it's back...

_You'll definitely see me first._

"Please give a warm welcome to our prairie princess and her noble steed, Blake Belladonna and Sombra!"

From the corner of her eye, Yang saw Ruby's jaw drop - had she had any presence of mind at that moment, she imagined her own face had a similar expression. Hooves hit the ground in a dull thumping rhythm, the horse trotting around the ring in short introductory lap. Too stunned to do anything but stare as the audience cheered around her, Yang watched on, captivated.

_  
Blake Belladonna._

  
Outfitted in a sleeveless burgundy bodice with a short flared tail, Blake sat astride her horse, her back straight and her head set proudly high as she and Sombra greeted their audience with a smile and a wave. The light from above made the tiara sparkle, artfully woven in among the dark locks of her hair that tumbled behind her. Boots of soft leather rose to her knees, giving way to black skintight material, the only thing between her legs and the saddle. The saddle, Yang realised, was no ordinary saddle; built for stunts and acrobatics, a wide metal ring that encircled the horse's midriff was held on by numerous straps, with handles sticking out on either side to allow the rider to perform their stunts.

Yang noticed the amber eyes subtly searching the stands as horse and rider continued their lap. Her breath caught in her throat as they passed over her. Whether Blake recognised her or not, she gave no indication, continuing on. Yang didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved.

Sliding down the flank of the horse, they stepped into the centre of the ring, amid enthusiastic applause; the music played on, a brief reprieve in the clatter of drums. When Blake bowed, Sombra followed her lead, and gave a little incline of his head and pulling up his front leg. Ilia stepped forward to take the long lead on Sombra's tack, shaking out the loops. Blake took her hand to her mouth and made a shrill whistle; Sombra kicked off and made his way to the outer perimeter of the ring, coming to a canter, the lead line stretching out fully. Blake broke into a run, coming alongside Sombra. Matching the pace of the canter and lifting her arm, she grasped the handle. Tucking her legs and kicking upwards, she flipped upside down, suddenly now upright and sat in the saddle once again as they circled the ring. Bracing her arms against the saddle handles, she lifted up into a handstand as Sombra cantered on. Sounds of amazement escaped the audience, Blake keeping balanced for a few seconds before she landing smoothly into the saddle again. Leaning down and grasping the outer handle, the one that faced the audience, she curled herself down off Sombra's shoulder, hanging off the side of the still mobile horse. No sooner had her feet touched off the ring floor, her arms flexed and she vaulted back up. Repeating this a number of times on either side, she sat astride once more for a few moments, before hooking a leg around one of the handles, draping her body over the side of the horse. The awestruck audience made an _oohing_ noise as they clapped, so intently focused on Blake's performance.

Blake righted herself again, and standing up in the saddle with ease, she smiled, spreading her arms widely; the spell over the audience was broken, breaking into exuberant clapping and cheering.

"Beautiful work! But this is just the warm up!" Ilia exclaimed, still holding onto the lead line in the middle of the ring.

_This is where it gets interesting,_ Yang thought to herself. Despite her own interest in the trick riding, she couldn't take her eyes off Blake for a second. It looked like she was having the time of her life, and anow that there wasn't a mask in the way, she could see Blake's face clearly now, shining with exhilaration. The drums started pounding once again, and still Sombra cantered onward. Bending forward and grasping the handles, Blake made for a handstand again - only this time, bending her legs into an inverted split.

"Jeez, she's gotta be made of elastic bands," Ruby muttered beside her in wonder.

Progressing into more and more difficult territory in her repertoire of moves, Blake's expression became ever more determined. By the time the song was wrapping up to a finish, it was time for her finale. The smile was gone; pure concentration was all that remained, the sheen of perspiration shining on her forehead. Everyone hushed; Yang held her breath as Blake stood up once more on the saddle, stared as her knees bent loosely. There was an ethereal quality to the air, like it could crystallize any second. The music was driving to a finish, the intensity ramping. There was a drop in the melody for a just a moment, where silence sat viscous on the captive audience.

In that instant, Blake jumped into the air, long limbs folding inward as her body whirled backwards into a back flip. Everyone gasped; Ruby clapped both hands to her mouth, Yang's eyes widened in shock, her knuckles whitening.

Blake stuck the landing perfectly, albeit a tiny wobble as she worked to find the rhythm of the horse again. Blake threw her arms in the air, triumphant; the explosion of applause that followed was deafening, and everyone stood to applaud wildly in an ovation. Neither Ilia nor Blake seemed to have expected such rapturous praise, glancing at each other in surprise. Ilia recovered first, clearing her throat, her hands thrown wide as she gestured towards the audience.

"What an extraordinary performance! Once again, please show your appreciation for Blake and Sombra!"

They gladly obliged, continuing even as Blake descended from the saddle once more as the music faded out, putting a hand in the pouch at her hip, drawing a fist. Sombra eagerly shifted around to snuffle at her hand. A fond smile formed on her features, gently petting his head as he took the treats as his reward. A fanfare sounded, and all the performers of the night bounded out from the curtains to form a line, and together, they all bowed in unison, earning them yet another ovation. Ilia stepped forward, taking a bow with a flourish of her hat. As she did, Blake's eyes flickered over to the stands as she stood back up, pinning Yang where she stood.  
Their eyes locked, and suddenly Ilia's voice sounded very far away.

"And with that, folks, comes the end of our show for tonight! We hope you enjoyed yourselves, and we'd be delighted to see you again soon! We've been Circus Calavera, and you've been a wonderful audience! Until next time, thank you and goodnight!"

Just before the lights descended, Blake threw a smirk and a subtle wink her way.

Darkness swallowed the tent, the applause fading off slowly. When the lights returned, the ring was empty, the curtains closed, and idle pop beats playing in the background as people vacated the stands.

"Well."  
"Hm?"  
"That's definitely one way to give you the run around. She literally ran rings around you," Ruby quipped smugly. She didn't need to explain how she had guessed that Blake was the mystery woman. Yang's expression was answer enough.

Yang was all but enthralled.

"...Holy shit."  
"At least now I know why you were grinning like an idiot last night back at the hotel - I'd be pretty flattered too, if she gave me her number," Ruby giggled, evolving into a cackle as a flush crept up Yang's neck in embarrassment.  
"Ah jeez, was it that obvious?"  
"I'm looking forward to becoming maid of honour at your wedding, sis," Ruby drawled, a squeal of laughter escaping her as she ducked out of reach of Yang's swift retribution.

They walked out of the tent into cool night; it was blissful relief after the heat. They made for the showgrounds exit, eagerly discussing the events of the night, their minds processing everything they had just seen. The conversation inevitably rounded its way to Blake.  
"It's definitely her, right? There's no way there's like a twin sister or a clone running around the place?"  
They were standing on the sidewalk beneath a street lamp, close to the gateway. People still streamed out of the grounds, taking their leave in all directions. Ruby hailed a cab on her scroll, and was hopping impatiently on each foot to ward off the cold. Though they had changed back at the hotel, it was still pretty warm when it was time to head to the circus. Ruby had thrown a hoodie over the t-shirt and shorts, but looked to be regretting not choosing something a little warmer. Yang kept the tee, but had forgone the shorts for leggings, carrying a long duster over her arm on the way in.  
"Pretty sure I'd be able to tell the difference between her and a clone, Ruby," Yang laughed.

_Nothing could hold a candle to the real thing._

The thought sprang, unbidden, to her mind; it surprised her in its certainty. A small spark skittered around the edges of her consciousness, of something she didn't want to look at head on, not just yet - it was too soon. She didn't even know Blake, and yet...  
Suppressing a shiver that wasn't entirely because of the cold, she shrugged into the duster, popping the collar against the wind, welcome for its warmth now. Searching the pockets, she unfurled a scarf and threw it to Ruby.

"Couldn't tell the difference between the cheap oats and the pricey ones though, could you?" Ruby jibed, though she accepted the scarf gratefully.  
"Bet her horse gets premium oats."  
"Bet you're gonna get a premium butt kicking if Dad finds out you've been scooping them for Bumblebee."  
"Ice cream if you don't tell Dad?"  
"I feel like ice cream is how you try to solve most of your problems."  
"Hey, nothing is wrong if it works!"  
"Ice cream is not a viable bribery tactic."  
"In this case, it absolutely is. You're drooling."  
"Lies and slander."

Yang fixed her with a disbelieving look.  
  
"...Cookies and cream tub next time."  
"Don't eat it all in one go this time."  
"No promises!"

* * *

They tumbled into the cab home, regaling the driver with the amazing things that Circus Calavera had displayed. They had convinced him to go see it by the time they had paid up and clambered out.

Shuffling up to the room, a wave of exhaustion overcame them both; peeling off and into pyjamas, they dove under the covers and settled in for sleep. Ruby clocked out within minutes, soft snores emanating from her side of the bed. Despite her tiredness, Yang turned on her side and opened her scroll quietly, squinting at the brightness.

_**Yang:** Well.  
 **BB:** Well?  
 **Yang:** Colour me surprised.  
 **BB:** I think that's putting it mildly. You were pretty spectacularly coloured by the end.  
 **Yang:** Says she who has a literal colour as her name, Blake ;)  
 **Blake:** Aha, so you were paying attention, doc ;)  
 **Yang:** Pretty hard not to :P  
 **Blake:** Flattery will get you nowhere, but you're welcome to keep trying ;) x_

The 'x' didn't go unnoticed; her cheeks dimpled with a moonstruck grin as she saw Blake still continuing to type, the ellipsis bouncing jovially in the speech bubble.

_**Blake:** So, will your name stay a single letter question in my contacts?  
 **Yang:** Nah, that wouldn't be fair.  
 **Yang:** Name's Yang. Yang Xiao Long :D  
 **Blake:** Yang, huh? I like it. Suits you.  
 **Yang:** Glad to hear it, be pretty inconvenient walking around with a name that didn't suit xD  
 **Blake:** Smartass  
 **Yang:** I'm here all week ;)  
 **Blake:** What a coincidence  
 **Blake:** So am I ;)_

A startled snort rose from Ruby when a barely stifled laugh escaped Yang. It seemed Blake had no issue in dishing it back as good as Yang could, and she revelled in it.

_**Yang:** Any plans for tomorrow?  
 **Blake:** A nice sleep in, to start with; we've been on the road a while, yesterday was a long day. How about you?  
 **Yang:** That's fair. My sis and I are gonna be at the cookout tmrw eve  
 **Yang:** takeout, but like, rustic  
 **Blake:** LOL - Rustic Takeout  
 **Blake:** Sounds... Lovely, when you put it like that? ^^;  
 **Yang:** LOL, well you're welcome to join if you're available/rested up? Dinner under the stars and all that jazz :P  
 **Blake:** Now that DOES sound lovely  
 **Blake:** I'll let you know; crew's got some things to take care of tomorrow. Text you?  
 **Yang:** Sure thing! Gonna crash out here; sleep well, Blake :D x_

Her eyelids drooped even as she sent the message. She clicked the screen off, stuffing it under the pillow as she got comfortable. Just as she was about to drop off, a vibration pulled her back from the lure of sleep; she peeked at the notification, a sleepy smile forming as she dropped off, her eyes unable to stay open any longer.

_**Blake:** Goodnight, Yang :) x_

* * *

Leaning with her back up against the stall door in the temporary lodgings for Calavera's animals, Blake stared at her scroll fondly, a lopsided grin on her face, until a large heavy head rested itself on her shoulder, blowing warm air around her.

"Hey there, pretty boy," she chuckled as she pocketed her scroll, tracing the narrow groove of Sombra's nose with her fingertips, scratching under his mane fondly. He whickered softly, nuzzling his nose against her hand. She was pleasantly surprised when the text from Yang rolled in; it was pretty late after all. She had just finished rubbing Sombra down when her scroll buzzed, messaging back and forth even as she fed and watered him. The show ended at about 9:30, but after cleanup, maintenance and resetting the rigging and equipment for the next show, it had crept to somewhere past 11pm. One final check on the stables before she turned in for the night was where she found herself, idly daydreaming and re-reading her messages after saying goodnight, before coming to a stop outside Sombra's stall.

Even though Sombra was the only horse in the show tonight, there were other horses they had brought for the other acts during the week, resting in the stables. It just so happened that their act happened to be extremely popular; word of mouth would spread of the astounding show they had put on, which served to pull even more of the populace to the circus, which in turn would sell out their final show of the week. It meant, too, that they could change up the program a little, keep things from becoming routine and stale as they went from place to place.

Blake's ears flickered as she heard quiet footsteps coming towards her. She smiled as she spoke aloud, not looking up from Sombra.

"You introduce me as a 'prairie princess' one more time and we're gonna have a problem, Ilia," Blake replied, laughing despite herself.  
"As my lady commands," Ilia replied smoothly, abandoning her mock bow to narrowly dodge a curry brush flung in her direction.  
"You haven't pulled that last trick in a long while now; showing off for the pretty lady in the audience, were we?" Ilia teased, tossing the brush back towards Blake, who deftly caught it. She smirked as Blake's cheeks reddened, who was suddenly picking imaginary specks of dirt from the horse's nose.  
"Let's just say... I was feeling brave. It was a spontaneous decision."

Unbeknownst to herself, Blake's normally stoic posture had slackened at the mere mention of Yang. Even though the blush was still high on her cheeks, Ilia could see the corner of Blake's mouth curl upward into a soft smile, as she continued to trace patterns absently on Sombra's nose. Blake's quiet demeanour didn't always translate into calmness, so it was rare, then, to see her so... _soothed_. 

Ilia's expression softened, but not for long. She sidled up alongside her at the stall, an impish grin in tow.  
  
" _Spontaneous_. Mhmm. Poor Maria was beside herself - _'That reckless girl, pulling a stunt like that without trialing it after so long!'_ Or something like that."  
Blake winced slightly; Maria was going to have words with her tomorrow, in that case. She jabbed a finger at Ilia.  
"This flirting thing was your whole idea in the first place, I can't take all the credit!"  
"Hey, all I did was give you a little nudge in the right direction! Oh, but suddenly Belladonna gets a spontaneous streak in her! Whatever will we see her do next to charm the buxom blonde that flashed her a pretty smile? Mind you if she'd flashed something _else_ \--fmmfmmmfm."  
Whatever Ilia was going to say was captured in the palm of Blake's hand.  
"That's quite enough out of you, ringmaster."

Ilia held up her hands in surrender, but the shit-eating grin was still firmly in place when Blake removed her hand, remaining even as she made her way out of the stables.  
"Oh, by the way - you're on stables tomorrow morning with Pyrrha," Ilia called back, turning on her heel as she walked backwards.  
"What?! Are you serious?"  
"Deadly! Bright and early, sunshine, you know the drill!"  
Blake's shoulders slumped as she groaned. _So much for a sleep in_ , she thought resignedly.  
"Don't be so glum; at least you're not on the books with Maria all day tomorrow," Ilia sighed, running a hand over her tired face.  
"Careful, Ilia," Blake warned, tapping the side of her head, "...it's her eyes that are bad, not her ears."  
"Uh... Good point, heh," Ilia laughed nervously. Taking her leave with a wave, it was just Blake and Sombra again.  
"What do you think? You up for an early jaunt tomorrow morning, baby?" she chirped, hoping it at least sounded more enthusiastic than she felt.

A long exhale and a gentle headbutt into her chest was all the response she got. She huffed a soft laugh, transitioning to a sigh halfway through as her she stroked his nose.

"Yeah... I know how you feel."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, this was a doozy - can't tell you the amount of circus acts and acrobat performances I had piled in my tabs!!  
> I'm really happy with how this chapter turned out, to be honest, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> P.S.: Bad Apple trundles through my brain on a daily basis now XD
> 
> I'm not sure what the policy is on referencing a YouTube video, but here's the title of the vid:
> 
> 【Touhou】 -Bad Apple!!- (Orchestral Arrangement) feat. Un3h 
> 
> by Cloudjumper


	3. Day Three - Campfire (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a hell of a hot minute since I posted last, but all is well, so sorry for the delay! I'm gonna split this chapter into two, because it was becoming a bit of a monster on its own. Part one gives a little more Blake POV, just to keep the eyes fresh!
> 
> Also gentle/no-nonsense/emotionally invested in her adopted circus babies Maria is a joy to write <3

_Yang knew she was dreaming. She knew when she found herself on the moonlit deck of a ship in the middle of the ocean. Calm waters made the boat pitch and sway, a gentle breeze buffeting the sails. The finer details were lost to her mind's eye, but that didn't matter._

_She watched herself reach her arm forward, sleeved in loose white linen that gently billowed in the wind._

_A spark of surprise drew her attention forwards when a hand slipped into hers, a figure stepping forward from the haze of her dream. A flicker of that familiar gold caught her attention, and suddenly Blake was there, smiling as she stepped into Yang's arms, her head tilted as she leaned forward-_

"MmMNAHHH!"

A loud bang reached her ears as Yang woke with a start. Dazed, confused and eyes watering, she squinted, daylight streaming in the window above her. She realised she was in a heap on the floor, holding her stinging nose. Sitting up slowly, she looked over in the bed. Ruby's hand was draped over where her face had been, and she was still out cold to the world. Casting a baleful look at her oblivious sister, she hoisted herself back up onto the bed, perched on the edge. She brought her fingers up to her nose, prodding gently. It was tender still, but nothing serious - she could still breathe through it, at least. She dragged herself to the bathroom just to be sure, examining it in the mirror, before dragging a hand backward through her hair in a sigh.

Her mind wandered back to the dream. Her self awareness was the strangest part; it was like she was a passenger in her own body, almost like it was another version of her, existing universes away. The fact that Blake was there too, though...

"So strange..." she muttered out loud. She shook her head. This was getting out of hand; she had only ever met Blake once, and even then it wasn't for very long. The bones of two days was all it took to start seeing her in her dreams.

_Still... it was a nice dream._

Peering around the doorway, her face fell; the clock read 6:57 AM.

"Ughhh... Well, no getting back to sleep now."

Taking a quick shower to shake the grogginess, she styled her hair into a messy bun before pulling on jeans and a warm hoodie. Sketching a quick note for Ruby on the hotel's memo pad, she grabbed the essentials and quietly pulled the door closed behind her.

* * *

Blake surfaced to the sounds of the alarm on her scroll, groaning as she smacked at it blindly, trying to get it to stop. Finally silencing the blaring noise, she sat up, sending a cluster of pillows scattering to the floor. She dragged a hand down her face and flopped backwards with a sigh. A few more minutes wouldn't hurt...

A shuddering set of thuds against her van door shocked her back upright with a yell.

"Blake! Don't you fall back to sleep again!" Ilia's voice sung gleefully.

"Ughh... Dammit, Ilia...!" Blake shouted, her fists hitting the quilt in annoyance. 

Her only response was the sound of Ilia's laughter fading as she walked away. She didn't need her scroll to tell her it was early; peering behind the blind of the window above her bed, the pale blue of the early morning was warming up with the first signs of the sun. Looked like it was going to be a chilly morning, too, judging by the condensation on the inside. She swung her legs off the edge of the bed and stretched her arms up, feeling the little cracks and pops as her back and shoulders righted themselves. 

"Gotta take care of the horses first..." she mumbled to herself, going through the mental checklist for the day. Pulling on her worn old jeans and several layers of shirts and sweaters to keep the cold at bay, she pulled a beanie over her ears, before glancing at her scroll. It was 6:43.

"But first... Tea."

Her breath came out in a fog as as she stepped out of the van, tendrils curling up before fading away. It was cold, the mists of the night slow to clear in the weak autumn sunlight. She took a deep breath, letting the cold air invigorate her lungs as she locked up. Her scroll and keys in her pocket, she stuffed her hands under her armpits, and took off at a brisk walk to the canteen.

* * *

"Thank you, have a nice day!"

The overt friendliness of the cashier while Yang was paying up for her coffee was blinding; it was barely gone seven, how was she so... _perky?_

Mumbling a thank-you and taking a swig to liven herself up, Yang bumped the door open with her hip. Her eyes roamed the street as she walked, taking note. It was quiet, the streetlights still blazing overhead in the weak light of the morning, but not deserted; deliveries were rolling into shops and restaurants with supplies for the week ahead, hot steam curling out of their doorways, while other early risers were taking exercise, travelling to work. Life continued on.

Though it was still cool out, Yang didn't mind; rising with the sun all year round on the farm meant she was well accustomed to chilly mornings.

Her wandering feet lead her to the park, a well-kept garden that had overflowing flower beds, popping with colour, a water fountain crowning the centre, circled by benches. She smiled as she passed through the arbor, her free hand trailing against the railing, and for once, she didn't worry about where she had to be.

It was a little strange re-visiting an old haunt as an adult, albeit a nostalgic one. She imagined a much younger version of herself and Ruby, running rings around their parents, the fountain, the flowerbeds. Chases, ball games, frisbees, kites, grass stains on their clothes and mud on their shoes... She remembered the bumps and scrapes that they both racked up, how Summer had always kissed them better and dried tears and...

"Nope, nope, nopenopenope, don't go there," she muttered under her breath. She sighed and drew a hand over her face. She came to a stop at the low stone wall of the fountain and looked down at the surface of the water, still and tranquil; the expression staring back at her was morose, her frown only deepening the longer she stared. She shook her head vigorously; now was not the time to wallow in old hurts. Instead of dwelling on what once was, she made it a point to focus on what was in front of her right now.

The garden was alive with life, she realised, once she pulled herself out of her head; the sounds of birdsong filtered through the air, stirring to life in the light of the morning. Insects buzzed and skittered and fluttered, passing from bloom to bud, rousing the flowers and their colours to catch the light. She hadn't realised she had been smiling all the while, catching sight of little things that she, and no doubt many others, were taking for granted. It had been a rush, these last couple years, when Taiyang Xiao Long decided to expand the farm; a bigger operation meant they went bigger on everything, from more machinery, more staff, more animal housings, more feed, more responsibilities... Less time to dwell on the past, sure, but less time for actually living, too. The last time either herself or Ruby had time off was months back, and only after their springers had given birth. Most of the cows got through their pregnancies without any trouble, but the occasional dam that needed extra help were usually the ones that would end in either Yang or Tai (or both) getting covered in dung, blood and straw at all hours of the night. Hardly glamorous, she thought, but hey, that was just the way of things.

Yang didn't have plans to stay there all her life, no way - but right now, it was a means to an end, she was good at it, and she could at least gather some savings to plan for her own future someday. Still... it wasn't often that she or Ruby got the chance to slow down. She got the feeling her Dad noticed too, which was probably why he so readily agreed to them taking the week away. It was the end of harvest season, too, so a large bulk of the work was over with.

Even though the harvest was in and safely stored, there was still so much left to do; she felt a squeezing sensation beginning to develop in her chest, difficult to unravel once it tightened. It was one of Yang's jobs to oversee the maintenance on the machinery, the cleaning, the oiling and re-greasing, and storing it away again until next year, but thanks to their most recent hire Oscar and the unusually fortuitous arrival of their uncle, the rest was in capable hands, at least.

"You can help out by taking some time out and relaxing, Yang - gods know you've both earned it," Tai had said, even as Yang tried to compromise herself into staying only half the week. Tai would hear none of it, of course, and had doubled down by buying both her and Ruby the week-long passes to the festival, despite her protests.

_Well, I had to get the stubbornness from somewhere, I guess._

Yang inhaled the scents of the garden and let the smells wash down the anxiety of not being there, tamping down on the burn of feeling like she was somehow shirking responsibility, and channelled it all into a deep sigh. She was meant to be relaxing, and having fun this week - that meant that all of her had to be here. She couldn't fully enjoy herself while her mind was still on matters back home, and she knew that Ruby wouldn't let her forget it.

Maybe it was about time she enjoyed something for herself now, instead of for the sake of soothing old memories that hurt her chest to remember. It was time to live for herself, rather than relive what had been and gone, never to return.

A grimace formed on her face when, upon taking a swig of her now stone-cold coffee, that that was also beyond saving.

A fleeting thought occurred to her as she re-entered the cafe for another round, indulging in it further as she braced herself for the vibrant waitress.

It'd be nice to bring someone to that garden...

* * *

Blake rolled into the canteen, a shivering mass and shrouded in the morning mist. Darting straight for the machines, she muttered a hello with chattering teeth to Ilia who idled by, waiting for her cappuccino. She sighed in relief, feeling the warmth start to return to her cold fingers as she held the paper cup in her hands, waiting for the tea to steep.

"Probably already know this, but Maria wants to have a chat with you," Ilia remarked, dumping obscene amounts sugar into her cup.

Blake only grunted in response, fumbling with a lid, her mouth hidden behind the neckline of her sweater in an attempt to warm her face.

"Oh come on, it's not that cold," Ilia snickered. Blake leveled her with a glare and a middle finger that continued until she had passed back out through the doorway, tea in hand. The door swung shut, but not before Ilia's bark of laughter reached her ears. Regardless of what she had to say, Blake beat a fast path to Maria; she didn't want to stay out here longer than she needed to.

Stopping before Maria's van, she rapped on the door quickly. The answering call was quick and alert; she's been up a while, Blake thought, as she climbed the step and pushed the door aside.

"Good morning, Maria," Blake called, peering in. Maria looked up, squinting through extremely thick-lensed glasses.

"Good morning."

"Uh..." Blake began, before a tap of Maria's cane made her pause.

"Sit."

_Ooh. Brusque_. That wasn't a good sign. She stepped in and pulled the door closed behind her.

A small, modest space, Maria's van was filled with picture frames, awards, souvenirs from her travels - everything she possessed catalogued a long and adventurous life of performances and travelling across the world. Two chairs and a small coffee table laden with papers were arranged a distance from the gas heater, a cheery orange glow emanating from it. 

"Is everything... alright?" Blake inquired hesitantly, sitting gingerly onto the armchair opposite her, setting down her tea.

Maria took her time in answering, shuffling in her seat to get more comfortable, before adjusting her glasses down her nose. The heat could do nothing to combat the icy stare that was being leveled at Blake over the rim of her glasses. Silence reigned uncomfortably between the two as they regarded each other.

Suddenly a rap of a cane down between her ears cause Blake to yelp in painful surprise.

"What have I said about trialing a routine before it goes to performance?"

"But I did trial- OW! Hey!" A jab of the cane wasn't hindered at all by the numerous layers she wore, as it thunked painfully against her arm.

"Don't you 'hey' me, and don't you lie to me either, young lady. I know that back flip was a spur-of-the-moment choice," Maria retorted sharply, eyes narrowed behind the large lenses. She sighed, lowering her cane to the floor. 

"And we both know what spur-of-the-moment got you before," she finished, her tone softer.

Blake flinched; both her hands were holding sore spots, but this had nothing to do with Maria's cane.

"That- ...that was a long time ago," Blake replied, faltering over her words. Maria didn't look convinced, and Blake couldn't blame her; Blake had a hard time trying to convince herself.

"It wasn't so long ago that it still doesn't affect you. What if that injury flared up, and you got hurt? You shiver like a leaf in the wind when anyone mentions--"

"Don't," Blake interrupted, "...don't say it." 

It had been a solidly bad start to her morning to begin with, but now it was suddenly taking a nosedive into god-awful territory. She breathed a heavy exhale, struggling to keep her emotions in check.

"I didn't trial it, you're right, and I know I should have, but..." she trailed off, staring into the glow of the heater. 

Flashes of red that had threatened the edges of her memories just moments before suddenly faded, held at bay and pushed back by the far more recent splashes of gold.

"It's the first time in so long..." Blake murmured, her voice sounding distant to her own ears, "...since I've felt like I could do it again. I just knew it, somehow."

She blinked; she hadn't meant to say that out loud, even if Maria knew nothing of the reason _why_ she made the leap last night.

"Blake."

She looked up furtively, and almost immediately wanted to avert her eyes; Maria's kindly gaze bordered something unbearably close to pity. She folded her hands in front of her formally, hoping she could school her expression into neutral territory. Had she not been wearing her hat, she was sure her ears wouldn't have behaved so easily.

"It's my job to make sure this circus keeps running, but that's not the most important job I've got," Maria began, reaching down the side of her chair. She waved Blake away as Blake made to stand and help her. 

"The most important role I have is to make sure you are all safe, and well, and happy. There's a reason I put _safe_ first, do you know why?" 

Blake's brow furrowed as she thought about this, as Maria continued to search.

"...Because... because even if we're not well, or happy... once we're safe, we can work on fixing the other two?" Blake responded, uncertainty pitching the answer into another question.

A brief relief washing over her when her voice remained steady. 

"Exactly." Maria finally smiled. She straightened in her chair, object finally in hand. She leaned over to give it to Blake. 

It was an old photo album, Blake realised; frayed and worn where the leather met the edges, the gilt corners gleamed dully despite years of tarnish. Blake opened it to find Circus Calavera's current crew, beaming from the first page. Scanning through the rows, she found her own smiling face shining up at her, a little younger and untroubled. Beside her was Ilia, holding up a peace sign and grinning, and Pyrrha, standing behind them both with an amused expression, resting her chin above their heads and a hand on each shoulder.

"And even though you may not be my flesh and blood, you, and everyone else in that album, are my family. We look out for each other, yes? We keep each other safe, first and foremost - once that's in place, all else follows much easier."

"This circus... this _family_ ," Maria gestured around her with a wave, "is your safe place, for as long as you want to call it so," Maria finished warmly, looking on fondly as Blake studied the album, finding all sorts of photos she hadn't known were being taken; she saw images of herself and the others mid-training, people standing beside new equipment, horses in paddocks and stables, a collection of older crew photos and their antics, and much more besides. 

A lump formed in her throat as she looked through them all, and a watery laugh escaped her as she found some of the goofier pictures; Pyrrha tangled in one of her silks, her face red from laughter and embarrassment as some of the crew attempted to get her down, Ilia standing on Blake's shoulders to reach apples at the top of an orchard tree, all of them dressed up in the most ridiculous and out-of-fashion costumes they could find in the circus's collection...

She remembered it was the day she had found the tiara and bridle set for Sombra. Maria had been surprised when she saw them, but heartened to see they were being used again - though she never said why. 

"Thank you, Maria," Blake replied, her voice thick, tears threatening to track down her cheeks.

"You can thank me by making sure you rehearse before bringing something _extravagant_ to a show, please. I've made it this far in my life, I could do without you giving me heart failure," Maria laughed wryly.

A smile shone out behind the hand that was wiping at her eyes, and Blake nodded. 

"Deal."

"Good to hear. I'll hold you to it." 

They sat in a more comfortable silence for a few moments, the tension from earlier dissipated now. 

"So. Now that we've got that out of the way, and you're as safe and as well as you can be..." Maria started casually before trailing off with a smirk. Blake's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Ilia's been talking to you, hasn't she?"

"Ilia has nothing to do with your red cheeks - you can't fool an old girl that easily, even if she is half blind!" Maria cackled as Blake's features flushed darker still. Blake heaved a sigh as her eyes rolled to the heavens.

"I suppose I walked into that one, didn't I?" she remarked, pulling off her beanie in an attempt to let some of the heat leave her face. 

Maria's grin grew impossibly wider.

"So, someone HAS caught your eye?" Maria leaned forward in her seat, lacing her hands together under her chin as she peered at Blake with interest. Blake huffed a laugh as she shook her head.

"I caught _her_ eye first; she was looking over at me when I noticed her staring. It was the night of the party... and I _may_ have slipped her my number," Blake smiled shyly. 

"And why wouldn't you, a stunning young lady such as yourself?" Maria remarked dryly, chuckling as she saw Blake shuffle in her seat, turning scarlet. Blake was afraid the blush was going to become permanent.

"Oh take a compliment, for goodness sake!" Maria scoffed, even though Blake could see she was delighted with herself. "Have you made any plan to see her yet?"

"Well, she came to see the show last night-"

"Obviously," Maria snorted.

"-and she did ask me to the cookout tonight, but-" Blake stopped up short as her brain caught up. "Wait, what do you mean, 'obviously'?"

"You didn't flip upside down on a horse for your own benefit," Maria waved her hand impatiently. "Are you going to go?"

"If I have time, I mean there's a lot of prep work to do for-"

"Not for you; _you've_ got a date tonight," Maria smiled with a wink. "Get the usual chores out of the way and you're free for the rest of the evening. Go and have some fun, goodness knows you deserve it, girl."

Blake stared at Maria, slack-jawed. 

This was unheard of. 

She was getting the _night off?_

"B-but what about-" Blake sputtered, but Maria cut her off, raising a hand.

"This is the part where we take care of _your happiness_ , Blake," Maria prompted gently. 

"Don't be fooled; this is work too, after a fashion. It's just personal work - no one else can do it, except you. We'll take care of the rest. You look after your end of things."

"My... happiness...?" Blake murmured, looking down at her hands.

Until now, she had thought she _was_ happy; living life on the road, performing and entertaining, seeing new places, meeting new people... All of it gave her fervour to live life as fiercely as she could, and while it was hard work at times, it was fulfilling. She was with her friends, her _family_ , as Maria had pointed out, and their affection and support was something she would be forever grateful for. She was... content.

Yet...

Any thoughts to do with her past love life were quickly snuffed out and locked into a box in a dark corner of her mind; a searing sting to her consciousness every time she remembered it.

For a long time had she had denied herself even the mere chance of anything close to a date, never mind anything else, after...

_No_ , she thought firmly, pushing down bad memories that threatened to surface.

The box rattled ferociously, thwarted once again as the lock held fast.

_We're not going back there. Not today._

Steering her train of thought down an altogether sunnier track, the last few days had been... enlightening, to say the least. The near-instant _click_ she had felt, the sensation of something fitting into place, was unmistakable. Meeting Yang's eyes had completely derailed from what she had been saying to Ilia.

Ilia, of course, had picked up on it immediately, and Blake had braced herself for an unmerciful tease. Instead, she talked Blake into stepping up and talking to Yang.

This was, by all accounts, also unheard of - both for Ilia's encouragement, who had been rather protective over her since... _then_ , and for Blake making the first move. Blake had her doubts, of course; what if it was a misunderstanding? What if she was mistaken, and was searching for someone else?

_You won't know unless you try,_ Ilia had said, and begrudgingly, she knew it was true; she'd be kicking herself if she didn't at least say 'hi'. Putting herself out there wasn't exactly her strong suit, but she had to try.

To her great surprise, however, it had turned out great; more than great, even - scribbling her number on the napkin had been a resounding success. The thrill of it all quickly faded to dismay as she realised what she'd done. She didn't have the first inkling about this woman; it was a complete shot in the dark, and she knew, she _knew,_ she couldn't get attached. She frowned even as it crossed her mind, the thought causing her more distress than she anticipated. But what choice did she have? The circus was always on the move, and it wouldn't be fair to expect someone to wait on her for weeks, possibly months, as they travelled around. That hadn't stopped Pyrrha though; she and Jaune were still going strong as ever, even though Pyrrha was here, and he was up north in Argus, working...

She shook her head vigorously; she was getting miles ahead of herself. Now was not the time to be daydreaming, especially about a girl she had _just_ met. Hell, she'd only met Yang _once,_ and already she was jumping the gun.

_Baby steps, Blake._

She'd meet her tonight, and they'd talk.

Yeah.

Casual, easy.

No worries; she could handle that.

_...Talk about what?_

Blake's face scrunched up into an agitated scowl and she groaned, pressing the palms of her hands into her eyes. She was starting to get a headache from running around in circles.

"Don't be out too late, though. Plenty opportunity to make up for lost time tomorrow." 

Blake snapped back to the present. Unaware of the tumultuous thoughts that had settled on Blake's mind, Maria nodded, entirely satisfied with herself. A packet of nuts had appeared in her hand, though where she had been stowing it, Blake didn't know - and part of her didn't want to know, either.

"O-okay... But are you _sure-_ "

"Yes, yes, I'm sure. Cashew?" 

"Uh... No, thank you," Blake declined politely, taking her tea into her hand as she stood up.

"Eh, more for me," Maria replied cheerily, popping a handful into her mouth. "Off you go then, I've kept you long enough - I'm sure Ilia is _itching_ to get in here and crunch some numbers - heaven knows she's not a fan of crunching cashews," she smiled wickedly.

"I'll see you later, Maria," Blake chuckled, as she opened the door. She braced herself for the chill, only to find the cold that seeped through her clothes earlier had disappeared, the mists burning off as the sun crept higher. Closing out the door behind her, her boots scuffed the dew from the grass as she headed back to the canteen, head swimming. Ilia caught sight of her and jogged over, meeting her halfway.

"Yeesh, she kept you in the hot seat for a while, huh! Thanks for warming it up for me," Ilia chuckled, clapping a hand on her shoulder as she passed.

"Yeah sure, no problem," Blake murmured as she walked by, too dazed to remember why she had been annoyed at Ilia. Finding herself back at the canteen, she looked at the cup in her hand and sighed.

More tea might help.

* * *

Yang opened the door of the room, coffees in one hand with a bag of pastries dangling off her little finger. Her gaze landed on the bed, crumpled bedsheets seemingly empty. Surprised, she stepped in, kicking the door closed as she walked around around the bedside, only to find Ruby hanging off the edge in her sleep, fingers trailing against the ground as she snored upside down. Yang tried not to snicker as she snapped pictures on her scroll from various angles. Pulling one of the coffees from the tray, she wafted the scent in front of Ruby's face.

Her nose twitched.

"Gimme," she grumbled, eyes still closed, hand groping for the cup. 

"Well, good morning to you, too. Sit upright first," Yang instructed.

Ruby heaved herself up with great effort, pushing the bedding off with her feet as she rubbed her eyes and yawned. Her short hair, mussed in her sleep, stuck up and out in every direction; somehow, Yang ruffling her hair made it less wild.

"I thought I told you to stop doing that," Ruby growled, reaching out for the coffee in Yang's outstretched hand.

"Don't worry, I remember."  
"Clearly not, when you're still doing it."  
"I said I remembered you saying it; I never agreed to stop."  
"Ass."  
"Mhmm, you're welcome for your coffee by the way."  
"Thanks, but you're still an ass."  
"Noted. What's the plan for today?"  
"I thought we were taking it easy for today?"  
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean lying around in bed all day."

"Yang, it's literally only gone 8 am. Plenty of day left to lie around in," Ruby said, a yawn swallowing the end of the sentence. "What got you up so early anyway?"

"You, sleep-slapping my face," Yang replied flatly, only a little annoyed when Ruby snorted in amusement.

"Hehehe, yeah, that'd do it alright," she laughed, taking a sip of coffee - immediately screwing up her face as it burned her mouth.

"Definition of instant karma, get it while it's hot," Yang snorted, as Ruby frantically waved her hand at her stuck out tongue.

"Mean," Ruby muttered as she swiped the events brochure off the side table. She flipped through it, quickly scanning downward through the days.

"Well, there's a lot of buying and selling events today, cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, the usual... Ooh, there's geese as well as chickens this year!"  
"Geese are evil. No geese."  
"They're not evil! You just need to be gentle with them, and not surprise 'em."  
"We're still not getting geese, we have enough animals to look after. What else is there, besides the buy and sell?"

"Hmm... Well, there's machinery shows, ploughing matches, a couple of other pissing contests to see who can throw a boot the furthest or whatever... and then there's the cookout at the end!" Ruby leafed through each page, producing a pen from who-knows-where to mark things of interest through the week.

"Well that's dinner taken care of for the evening, but besides that, I'm kind of lukewarm on the contests - don't want to show 'em all up again," Yang smirked.

"You mean the year where that one guy was shit talking you so much, you chucked the boot at his face instead? Yeah, you really showed him up - the upside of a heel," Ruby chortled, and they both laughed.

"Seriously though, we're staying away from those."  
"Fair."

As they deliberated over what to do, Yang's scroll buzzed on the bed. Both of them stared at it mutely, neither moving. A slow smile spread across Ruby's face, setting her coffee down. Yang's face contrasted sharply in a frown, as she set aside her own.

"Rubes," she warned, "whatever you're planning, don't."

"There's never a plan," Ruby replied, eyes glittering.

A pillow hit Yang square in the face, followed by a rustling sound as the duvet was wrapped around her. She swore loudly as she struggled out of it, hearing Ruby's footsteps thudding against the floor next to the bed, before darting to the other end of the room with a manic laugh.

"Oohhhh, it's _Blake,_ "she crooned, just as Yang's head came up for air, looking furious. The scroll continued to buzz, Yang crossing the room in great strides, bearing down on a nonchalant Ruby.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna say anything," she grinned as Yang plucked the scroll from her waiting hand.

"Oh, I know you won't."

Yang wrapped an arm around Ruby and hefted her outside the room door, closing it quickly, even as Ruby smacked the door from the other side.

"YANG NO I'M IN PYJAMAAAAASSS!! YAAANNNG!"

She smacked her forehead in exasperation and opened the door, a finger to her lips as Ruby darted back in. Instead, she slipped out to the corridor to answer the call, closing the door behind her.

"H-hello??"

There was a scuffling noise coming through, and she thought for a split second that maybe Blake had pocket dialed her by accident.

_"Uh... hey! G-Good morning?"_

_Ah. Not an accident,_ Yang noted, pleased.

"Blake! Hi! Uh, what's up?"

_"Sorry, I know it's still pretty early, I can call back later-"_ Blake began, but Yang rushed in to reassure her.

"No! No, it's fine, I swear, I was up early this morning anyway!"

She winced as she heard herself; she sounded close to Ruby's pitch. She cleared her throat before continuing.

"So what can I do y- ...er, do for you on this fine morning?" 

The soft laugh on the other end seemed to warm Yang from the inside, even if it was over speaker.

_"Well, I wanted to call, and let you know about later..."_

"Uh-huh?"

There was a pause. Yang braced herself for disappointment.

_"...What time do you want to meet?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3


End file.
